1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for electrostimulation, having a support for part of the body or for the whole body, and electrodes disposed in the support. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for controlling multiple electrodes in an apparatus for electrostimulation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Apparatuses for electrostimulation, which can be used locally, for example arm cuffs or leg cuffs, are known from practice.
From the Korean document KR 10-2012-0041525, mats are known that are configured as an apparatus for electrostimulation. The whole-body mats according to this prior art have electrodes that are disposed in the region of the body of a person to be treated. The electrodes are configured in line shape or point shape, thereby causing the disadvantage that electrostimulation of nerves or muscles is very restricted. Effective nerve or muscle stimulation is not possible with these electrodes configured in point shape or line shape, which are disposed in a mat configured to be planar.
Muscles and/or nerves can be stimulated with electrostimulation.
In the case of nerve stimulation, an electric field intensity having a sufficiently strong gradient is applied, which brings about triggering of an action potential in the nerve, which reaches the motor end plate of the addressed muscle, along the motor nerve, and there again triggers an action potential that subsequently brings about contraction of the muscle. Aside from motor nerves, sensitive nerves are also excited or exclusively excited.
In the case of direct muscle cell stimulation, a muscle cell is excited directly by means of electrical stimuli that are significantly greater and stronger than in the case of stimulation of nerves. In both cases, it is known to perform this electrostimulation using surface electrodes, by way of the skin.
Frequently, in the case of muscle stimulation, medium-frequency current is used, which works with frequencies of above 1,000 hertz (Hz), for example, so that the sensitive stress is clearly reduced, because the electrical resistance of the skin to an electrical stimulus is dependent on frequency, in an inverse proportion. Here, frequencies between 1,000 Hz and 10,000 Hz and modulated currents have proven to be particularly effective.